Shipping and storage carton



Jan. El, 1966 s. c. OSBERG SHIPPING AND STORAGE CARTON med March 12.196s W m Q @y C W 2 M y (v ffl/ z )W//T 0M 5 Ko/ w 7 6 5M: 7 t Z L b3 M/9W )www Mq ob m/ 1-/ /n M 7 7" United States Patent C 3,228,582SHIPPING AND STORAGE CARTON Stanley C. Osberg, Rockford, Ill., assgnorto National Lock Co., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Delaware FiledMar. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 264,650 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-51) T-he presentinvention relates to a novel shipping `and storage carton and moreparticularly to a novel carton utilizing a tear strip adjacent one endto facilitate removal of approximately one-half of that end of thecarton to provide a self-contained storage bin.

An important object of the present invention 1s the provision of a novelone-piece carton construction which is easily yassembled and includesweakened or scored areas to provide an easily removable portion of anend of the assembled box to convert the shipping container to aselfcontained storage bin.

Another important object of the present invention 1s the provision of anassembled carton of cardboard or corrugated board having a tear stripwhich encompasses one-half of the periphery of the carton adjacent oneend to aid in the removal of one-'half of the carton end to provide theopening for the storage bin. As the tear strip along with connectedperforated Iportions encompasses the area to be removed from the closedcontainer, no tools are required or needed to open the container.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a carton orcontainer which is quickly and easily assembled, filled and sealed atthe plant of the manufacturer or supplier yand, when -received lby asecond party, is easily opened utilizing the tear strip and stored as astorage bin for the goods as received or for the other goods which maybe placed in the container. The tear strip has an enlarged wedge-shaped,die cut thumb grip at each end.

The present invention .also comprehends the provision of a containerformed from a single piece or sheet of cardboard or corrugated boardwhich has been printed and cut to provide end flaps at the oppositeends, two opposed inturned end flaps at one end of the container havingsubstantially centrally located perforated lines joining a perforatedline lying parallel to but spaced from the end of the assembledcontainer and extending across a side panel and a portion of twoadjoining panels. A strip of tear tape extends along the interior of thepanels closely adjacent and parallel to the tear or perforated lines tofacilitate or aid in removal of the end portion of the container.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity,efficiency, economy and ease of yassembly and operation and such furtherobjects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear andare inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the assembled container withthe removable portion of t-he end of lthe carton shown removed ordisplaced to provide the storage bin.

FIG. 2 is a vertical -cross-sectional view of the assembled containerincluding the removable end piece in its normal assembled relation takenon the line 2 2 of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIG.2 and showing the end of the box with the removable end portion in itsnormal assembled rel-ation.

FIG. 4 is an open plan interior view of a sheet of cardboard orcorrugated board cut to the proper dimensions provided with fold andscore or tear lines for forming the disclosed container by subsequentfolding and assembly into a carton.

Referring more particularly to the dis-closure in the drawing and to thenovel illustrative embodiment therein shown, FIG. 1 discloses anassembled carton or container 10 with a removable end portion 11disconnected and withdrawn to prov-ide `an open storage Ibin with readyaccess to the contents. This carton, with the en-d portion 11 integraltherewith, is formed of relatively heavy cardboard or corrugated boardfrom the single sheet 12 shown in FIG. 4. This sheet is Iscored toprovide -four side or wall panels 13, 13a, 13b and 13C, the panel 13provided with lan end or overlapping ap 14. Alternate short .and longflaps 15 and 16 at one end of the carton are longitudinally slit apartand provided with fold lines 17 so they can be folded inwardly along thelines 17 and joined by any suitable securing means such as staples, tapeor adhesive to securely close one end 'of the carton. The shorter flaps15 are folded inward first with their edges in substantially abutting4relation while the adjoining edges of the longer flaps 16 overlap whenfolded inwardly and are then joined to provide a sealed end 18,

At the opposite end of the carton the side panels 13, 13a, 13b and 13chave four flaps 19 which are longitudinally -slit apart Aand ofsubstantially equal length such that opposite aps will substantiallyabut when folded inward about the fold lines 21. The flap 19 on thepanel 13 adjacent the overlapping flap 14 and its opposite Hap 19 onpanel 13b (alternate flaps in FIG, 4) have a substantially centrallylocated yand longitudinally extending perforated score line 22 extendingfrom the end of each flap to the fold line 21. The side panels 13 and13b contain a perforated score line 23 extending from the score lines 22and merge with a continuous perforated score line 23a extendingcompletely across the panel 13a, the score lines 23 .and 23a beingspaced from but disposed parallel to the fold lines 21. The perforatedscore lines 23 terminate at one end in an enlarged die cut thumb grip orlift tab 24 which may be generally wedge-shaped, and the base 25 of eachgrip connects one of the perforated score lines 22 on the end aps 19 ofthe panels 13 and 13b.

Extending Iacross and joined to the interior of the four side panels 13,13a, 13b and 13c and the overlapping Hap 14 is a tear tape 26 utilizedto enhance the accuracy and facilitate tearing along the perforatedscore lines 23 and 23a. This tear tape is located closely adjacent tothe perforated score lines 23 and 23a and between the latter and thefold lines 21 and parallel thereto. The die cut thumb grip 24 at eachend of the score lines 23 Vsevers the tape 26 at the base 25.

To assemble the carton 10, the side panels 13 are folded along thelongitudinally extending fold lines 27 with the overlapping flap 14received and suitably secured or gummed to the interior of the sidepanel 13c at the opposite end of the corrugated sheet 12. The open-endedbox thus formed next has one end closed so that the carton can befilled. In the present assembly, either end can be initially closed forfilling of the carton. If the flaps 19 are initially closed, the flaps19 on the panels 13 and 13b containing the perforated score lines 22 arerst folded inward and then the other two opposite flaps 19 are foldedinward and the flaps secured by any suitable securing means such as thestaples 28 shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3. The line of abutment of the lastfolded end flaps 19 substantially coincides with the perforated scorelines 22 on the rst folded flaps 19 to aid in ease of removal of the endportion 11 to convert the carton into a storage bin.

The carton can then be lled and the opposite end closed by rst foldingthe shorter flaps 15 inward followed by the longer flaps 16 which willoverlap. This end is secured closed by the staple 28 shown in FIG. 2, orother equivalent means.

When the container has been shipped to a retailer or other user of thegoods therein, the carton is easily opened without the use of any toolsby gripping one of the thumb grips or lift tabs 24 and Zipping up theside across the top panel 13ab and down the other side along theperforated score lines 23 and 23a. The removable end portion 11 is thenseparated from the box along the perforated score lines 22 to completelyseparate and remove the end portion and leave the other half of thecarton end intact after opening to present a storage bin.

As the perforated score lines 23 and 23a are spaced inwardly from thefold lines of the panels 13, 13a and 13b, when the end section 11 isremoved, the access opening into the container, which then functions asa storage bin, is spaced inwardly or rearwardly of the remaining closedend portion. This facilitates access to the contents of the bin.

Having disclosed the invention, I claim:

A carton construction comprising four connected side panels forming ahollow tube with each of said side panels having a foldable flap at theopposite ends thereof with the aps at one end being folded inwardly inoverlapping relation to form a closed end, one pair of opposed flaps atthe opposite end of the carton each having a perforated score linepositioned centrally on the ap and extending normally to the fold lineof the flap between its outer edge and the juncture with its side panel,a perforated score line extending transversely of the last mentionedopposed side panels from adjacent the score lines of said flaps andacross the panel intermediate said opposed panels, said perforated scoreline being spaced inwardly from the ends of said panels, a perforatedenlarged thumb grip on each of two opposite sides of the hollow tubeproviding a lift tab at the junction of the perforated score lines onthe end aps and the perforated score lines in the adjoining panels, anda tear tape extending across the interior surface of the adjoiningpanels with the tape positioned closely adjacent the perforated scorelines in the adjoining panels and between the score lines and the endaps, said opposed perforated aps being folded inwardly first forming aperforated line across the end of the carton and said other pair ofopposed flaps then folded inwardly with their line of abutmentsubstantially coinciding with the perforated lines on the first pair offlaps and secured to form a closed end for shipping, said perforatedscore lines defining an end portion which is readily removed by pullingon said lift tabs at the opposite sides of the hollow tube and, whenremoved, transforming the carton into a storage bin with an accessopening at the upper end portion spaced inwardly and rearwardly from theclosed end portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 901,286 10/1908Ferres et al. 229-51 2,789,752 4/1957 Will 229-51 2,967,010 1/1961Cutfey et al. 229-51 3,002,651 10/ 1961 Gauld.

3,097,784 7/1963 Schaas 229-51 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

